TORONTO — In hockey, only on rare occasions do we see guards let down completely. True emotion is something reserved almost exclusively for moments of closure. Whether it is failure or actual accomplishment, culminating experiences are when we generally see players and coaches deviate from their basic protective settings, and feel comfortable enough to elaborate beyond half truths and hockeyspeak.
In some ways, Jon Cooper is the exception to that rule. The Tampa Bay Lightning head coach always has the time, and when he’s asked for his take on things, he either has a thoughtful answer or a story to tell that may or may not stray from the original subject, if only just a bit.